Looking for panoramic deep box frames

[daveym]

I might of probably put this post up some years ago, but again on the lookout.
I've been struggling to find a suitable supplier of deep box frames. I've been making some wall signs recently that would look really good framed. They are a little different from the norm as I intend to have a little figurine inside standing below the sign. The figurine depth is only approx 10-15mm. Ideally I'd like a depth of at least 25mm internally between the front and back.

I've only really seen one major supplier selling via ebay and amazon and just wondered if anyone else makes similar type panoramic style box frames.

The types of sizes I'd like would be close to 4" - 5 " height and anything from 12"-14" length. These are just approx and can discuss further if anyone can help.

[Not your average framer]

You might get a bit further with this by talking about target prices and order quantities to sell if someone gets interested in supplying you. I'm not sure how hopeful this may be, since there's not that many suitable deep mouldings about which are going to be advantageously priced and the resulting cost prices may affect how viable this project is going to be,

[Abacus]

Boxframes.co.uk

[daveym]

You might get a bit further with this by talking about target prices and order quantities to sell if someone gets interested in supplying you. I'm not sure how hopeful this may be, since there's not that many suitable deep mouldings about which are going to be advantageously priced and the resulting cost prices may affect how viable this project is going to be,

Thanks for your reply. After looking around it appears the types of prices I was looking for just aren't feasible amomst the majority of uk framing suppliers, so I'm just going to use a deep frame from a high street supplier that I've been using for a while. It's the wrong shape and size but I've reconfigured my signs to fit. If I notice any demand then I may consider investing in a small set up as I'm really only after 1 style of deep box frame for the majority of work I do.

[Not your average framer]

Would you consider buying a normal depth frame and creating a folded box section to turn it in to a a box frame to create something more affordable and therefore financially better suited to your needs? This technique is quite common in the USA and some framers do it over here as well. The methods are not always exactly the same, but that does not always matter a lot. The box section gets fitted in to position behind the glass and somehow secured in to position.

The actual board used to make the box section may be made from display board of adequate strength and thickness, backing board, foamboard, or even a suitable combination of materials. You do see things like this in some books, especially in books from the USA. This may be a possible way of consrtucting the deep box frame for what you need a price which makes your project a viable one. Don't be afraid to think out of the box to find the ideas which work best for you.

[daveym]

Thanks Mark. I believe I know what you mean as ordered a deep box frame from a supplier in the past and it came as you mention. The types I buy from a large online supplier are just a very deep frame of about 6.5cm. However, it's square, and I was looking for a panoramic thin style to suit a narrow sign. I wanted the option of having it free standing or on a wall and the method you mention I don't think would allow for free standing unless I'm thinking of something completely different.

[Not your average framer]

It sounds like you could have got a potentially great idea. I think it could be just a matter of finding a supplier for the right sort of frame and maybe there is still a supplier out there who has what you want, but you just have not found them yet. It's only a thought, but you sometimes see these frames with a mount inside and cutouts in the mount for three, or four pictures side by side, or one on top of another, well if you remove the mount then maybe, it becomes a panoramic frame and if you could cut and fold a box section out of foambord, or something else you might have something that works.

One american lady framer publishes a series of books on various aspects of framing and she called this technique of cutting and folding up box sections in this way, "quick boxes". The technique ivolves cutting most of the way through the fold lines, folding and taping up the joined corner and the taping over the folds to cover the spaces left by cutting most of the way through the foam board in order to make a clean straight fold in the foam board. I have not done this with foamboard, but I did try it once with a normal cardboard type backing board and surprised just how regid the box setion was.

Would the box section need to be removable? If not it could be somehow stuck in place, which would not need to be difficult at all. I think that the usual process would be to locate the box section in to rear of the frame and it apply some hot melt gluse from the rear in places and after the glue has set to tape over the join between the frame and the box section. I don't know quite how popular this technique is for definite, but I tend to think that this is a resonably popular technique with some framers. It is certainly popular in the USA.

I think that something similar to this techique may have been demonstrated on Youtube as well, by amateurs who use stuff like corr!gated cardboard.

Would you consider making you own frames yourself, using one of the Logan studio joiners, or one of the Logan Pro frame joiners sold by Lion. You would of course need a method of cutting the frame moulding. There also are some particularly cheaply priced narrow, but already finished moulding available from various suppliers, for example Simons have their ECON/0007 at only pence per foot. Some framing suppliers will supply pieces of glass pre-cut to your sizes, so maybe this might be an alternative for you to look to look at.

[Not your average framer]

Thinking a little more about this, much of the work required to make these panoramic deep box frames might not be hard to simplify which the odd little home made jig, for example a small piece of wood with a sharp blade screwed ot one side and a lip fitted on to the other side, could easily and repeatably cut part the way through the board used for the rear box section. The blade would of course be set to an appropriate cutting depth. This need not be a expensive backing board it you were prepared to paint one side white with a paint roller.

Not using a particularly deep moulding would save cost and postage weight, if these were going to be sent by post to the end customers. It would be very easy to get out the little square cut outs in each corner of the folded rear box sections using a small band saw and then to tape the corners together to make up the box section. Solid section kraft backing boards are not only very reasonably price but a surprisingly strong and would make quite a rigid rear box section. There still might be a way that this can be still made to work at a not excessive price.

[Not your average framer]

Another thought, noticing that you do print and design, how feasable would it be for you to print on to 2mm display board and to cut a fold that to be the print and the box all in one. I guessing that you being a printer might get the display board at a much better price that a framer probably can. The other advantage might also be that the is no operation needed to fix the print in place, thus saving additional cost.